Tube diameter and supply voltage decide whether the Simu T3.5 belongs in your shade. This motor runs on 12V DC and slides into 40 mm class tube. Installers who already feed a row of shades from a low-voltage supply can add one more head without pulling a new 120V circuit.
The Somfy Simu T3.5 3Nm 23rpm 12V DC Motor (2006973) turns 3 Nm at 23 rpm. Somfy builds it as a wired operator with mechanical limits, so you set the two stops once at install and the motor keeps them.
Shades the T3.5 3 Nm drives
Somfy lists this reference for exterior solar screens and interior window coverings. 3 Nm suits a compact roller shade, a narrow solar screen, or a small shade in a bank where every head shares one DC supply. Specifiers pair it with 40 mm round or octagonal tube.
Torque sizing starts with the fabric weight, the tube diameter, and the roll-up height, and our motor sizing guide walks that math. Treat 3 Nm as the entry point in the T3.5 range. A wider or heavier shade belongs on a larger Simu or an LS40 class motor instead.
Speed matters on short drops. 23 rpm moves a small shade through its travel without the long crawl a low-rpm awning motor gives you. Installers notice it on screens that cycle several times a day.
Verified specifications
Every figure below comes from Somfy's published data for reference 2006973 and the Somfy verified spec block on the product page.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Torque / speed | 3 Nm / 23 rpm |
| Power supply | 12V DC |
| Operating voltage window | 9 to 15V |
| Rated current | 1.4 A |
| Power consumption | 17 W running, 0 W standby |
| Control | Wired, 2-wire DC |
| Limit switch | Mechanical, 40 turns |
| Head type | Round |
| Motor external diameter | 1.39 in |
| Minimum tube inner diameter | 1.34 in |
| Motor length | 14.69 in |
| Cable | VVF, 2 conductors, white, stripped ends |
| Noise level | 68 dB |
| Protection | IP 44, Class III insulation |
| Operating temperature | -4°F to 140°F |
| Applications | Exterior solar screens, interior window coverings and shades |
| Warranty | 5 years |
Two rows carry the fitment answer. The 1.34 in minimum tube inner diameter rules the tube choice, and the 9 to 15V window tells you what the power supply has to hold under load.
Tube, crown and bracket fit
The T3.5 needs 1.34 in of clear tube inner diameter. A standard 40 mm round tube with a 1 mm wall clears that, which is why Somfy pairs this motor with the Somfy T3.5 38mm Round tube, 40x1 (9001495). Order the tube and the motor together and the crown and drive question settles itself.
Mounting takes a plate at the motor head. The Somfy Motor Plate (9012258) gives the round head a flat bracket interface inside a headbox or a pocket. Measure the pocket depth before you order, since the motor itself runs 14.69 in long and the plate adds to the stack.
Use 40 mm class crowns and drives on this motor. Larger LT50 or LT60 parts will not seat on a T3.5 body, and forcing a mismatched drive wheel puts the whole roll out of true. Confirm the crown and drive against the tube profile you ordered, round or octagonal.
Wiring a 12V DC T3.5
Two conductors carry everything. The VVF cable leaves the head with stripped ends, and you land it on a wired DC control or a dry contact switch that reverses polarity. Polarity sets direction, so swap the two leads if the shade travels the wrong way on first power-up.
Size the supply for the draw. One motor pulls 1.4 A at 12V DC, and the regulated supply has to hold above 9V at the motor head under that load. Long runs drop voltage, so a bank of shades on one transformer needs heavier gauge wire than a single head in the same room. Figure the total current for every motor on the circuit, then add margin.
Class III insulation puts this motor in the low-voltage category, which simplifies the rough-in compared with a 120V head. IP 44 covers splash exposure, so an exterior screen application still wants the motor inside a hood or a headbox out of direct weather.
Limit setting and install notes
Mechanical limits with 40 turns of travel give you the shade height. Count the turns your drop needs at the tube diameter you picked, and stay inside the 40-turn capacity. A tall drop on a small tube eats turns fast.
Set the limits with the motor in the tube and the fabric attached, running the shade to each stop and adjusting until the hem lands where you want it. Mechanical limits hold through a power loss, so you set them once.
Leave the cable with a service loop at the head. Installers who coil a few inches behind the bracket can pull the motor later without recutting the run. Label the pair at the supply end too, because a bank of identical white VVF leads turns into guesswork six months after the job closes.
68 dB is the published sound level. Put this motor in a bedroom and the occupant will hear it move. Quiet interior work calls for a Sonesse head instead, and Somfy builds that line for exactly that brief.
Order the T3.5 and the parts that go with it
The Somfy Simu T3.5 3Nm 23rpm 12V DC Motor (2006973) ships as a genuine Somfy reference with the 5-year Somfy warranty. Add the T3.5 38mm round tube (9001495) and the motor plate (9012258) and the head has a tube to live in and a bracket to sit on.
Shade Motors Direct stocks the Somfy and Simu parts that complete the assembly, from crowns and drives to low-voltage power supplies. Call out your tube profile and drop height on the order and we will confirm the turn count against the 40-turn limit capacity before the parts ship.
Frequently asked questions
What tube does the Simu T3.5 3 Nm fit?
Somfy publishes a 1.34 in minimum tube inner diameter for reference 2006973. A 40 mm round tube with a 1 mm wall clears that, and Somfy pairs the motor with the T3.5 38mm round tube 9001495. Use 40 mm class crowns and drives. LT50 parts will not seat on this body.
How much power does the T3.5 12V motor draw?
The motor draws 1.4 A and consumes 17 W while it runs, and 0 W at rest. It accepts 12V DC with a 9 to 15V operating window. Size the regulated supply so every motor on the circuit stays above 9V at the head under load, and allow for voltage drop on long cable runs.
Does the T3.5 work with a Somfy remote?
Reference 2006973 is a wired motor with no built-in radio receiver, so a hand remote will not reach it on its own. Installers who want radio control on this head add a Somfy RTS receiver rated for 12V DC motors between the supply and the motor leads, then pair the remote to that receiver.
How do you set the limits on a Simu T3.5?
The T3.5 uses mechanical limit switches with 40 turns of travel. Install the motor in the tube, attach the fabric, then run the shade to each end and adjust the limit screws until the top and hem stops land where you want them. The settings hold through a power interruption.
Shade Motors Direct is an authorized source for genuine Somfy motorized window shade, blind, and drapery parts.
